Every Christmas Eve when I was a child, my mother would make Crème de Menthe parfaits for dessert. I can see them now in our side-by-side freezer. The layers of vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce, and mysterious green, grown-up liquor in cute little parfait glasses ready to serve. It was the ultimate dessert for the holiday.
Almost 50 years later, Crème de Menthe is making a much-deserved comeback in after-dinner drinks, such as an old favorite, the Grasshopper. This three-ingredient refreshing, festive drink can easily play the role of dessert too. It takes minutes to prepare and will not disappoint anyone.
Makes 1
1 ounce crème de menthe
1 ounce white crème de cacao
1 ounce heavy cream
1 cup ice
Fresh mint and/or chocolate shavings for garnish
Combine first 3 ingredients in a cocktail shaker; add ice. Cover and shake until well chilled. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass, and garnish as desired.
